All About Yoga and Yoga Sandbags

Yoga has been around for thousands of years. There have been seals discovered at an Indus Valley Civilization site that depicts figures in what appears to be yoga like stances. Yoga was initially practiced by those who were seeking spiritual enlightening. Since its introduction into modern society yoga has quickly become very popular with people of all different fitness levels. Yoga sandbags have been integrated into the practice of certain types of yoga to increase awareness of body parts, add extra stretch and a little weight to the regimen.

Yoga is an Eastern philosophy that is centuries old. It has quickly become one of the most practiced exercises in modern society by all fitness levels. High level executives may be seen practicing yoga in order to get a cardio type workout to maintain fitness levels. Movie stars and other public figures use yoga to maintain their pencil-like figures. Athletes have added yoga to their training schedules in order to become more aware of their center of gravity as well as additional stretch for injury free seasons.

While much of modern society is drawn to yoga initially as a way to stay fit or get fit, it is soon recognized that yoga is much more. Yoga defined in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, means �yoke� or �union.� One can take this translation and quickly realize that yoga is a union between the body and the mind. Yoga creates a more positive, more powerful connection between the mind and body.

Types of Yoga

Before choosing which type of yoga you want to practice you have to make a mental list for yourself. Ask yourself why you want to practice yoga. Do you want to stay fit or get fit or would you rather have a more relaxing and meditative type of yoga � something that gets your mind off the trials and tribulations of everyday life?

Before committing to any certain class it�s best to visit several different types of yoga classes. These visits will quickly help you determine which type of yoga you are looking for. Below are some of the hatha yoga types practiced in the Unites States today.

Vigorous Vinyasas
This type of yoga contains series of flowing movements and postures in combination with rhythmic breathing. Vinyasas offers a rather intense workout for the body and mind.

Ashtanga
K. Pattabhi Jois has the most popular type of Ashtanga practiced in the United States today. This yoga contains a series of sequential postures and is very fast paced. The Ashtanga system is comprised of six asanas which increase in difficulty and allows the yoga students to work at their own pace. Be prepared to sweat as this yoga goes nonstop between poses and allows no time for adjustment. Breathing is an integral part of yoga and you will be encouraged to breathe properly through each movement.

Power Yoga
Bender Birch created power yoga in 1995 as a way to challenge the American people�s understanding of fitness and what fitness entailed. Birch intended to add a western influence to Ashtanga. The name alone has created an influx of people into health club yoga classes because the word �power� implies a good workout in which you get a good sweat going.

Jivamukti
Jivamukti is a more meditative type of yoga. Although more relaxing than other types of yoga, this yoga is still highly challenging. More than 2,000 people visit the Jivamukti Yoga Center located in New York because of the teaching styles of David Life and Sharon Gannon who opened the center in 1986. Life and Gannon draw crowds weekly because of their ability to take Ashtanga style and combine it with a mixture of ancient and modern spirituality. These classes practice chanting, meditation, reading music and affirmations in addition to breathing.

Kali Ray TriYoga
Kali Ray led a group meditation in 1980. During this group a series of flowing, dancelike movements came to Kali Ray and in 1986 Kaliji developed these movements into seven different levels and opened the TriYoga Center in California.
This practice is deeply meditative as it promotes relaxation and inner peace. The first level is very slow and relaxing. After a class a person should feel rejuvenated. These classes are often set to music and they focus on proper body alignment while maintaining slow and steady breathing. Each class ends with a meditation session.

White Lotus
White Lotus yoga is based on vinyasa practice and is flowing. The practice can range from gentle to vigorous and depends on your personal comfort level as well as your yoga ability. The husband and wife team of Ganga White and Tracey Rich have a 40 acre retreat in California and offer a yoga holiday with weekend packages as well as weeklong packages. For the person looking for the total yoga immersion they even have a 16 day yoga training program for teachers.

Lyengar
80 year old BKS Lyengar lives in India and continues to teach thousands of people from all over the world the lyengar method of yoga. This type of yoga has an intense focus on each and every movement that goes along with each posture. Lyengar encourages his students to delve deeper into the experience of each pose. Each posture is normally held for longer periods of time than other types of yoga. This is the yoga that has integrated props into its teachings such as chairs, belts, blocks, blankets and the yoga sandbag.

Ananda
Ananda yoga goes beyond developing a hard, sleek body. Ananda gives the person a tool for inward growth as well as an outlet to relieve personal tensions. This yoga school has been around since the 1960�s and focuses on movements that are designed to increase energy flow toward the brain.
There are several more schools of yoga, each one varying only slightly in its teachings. Some schools incorporate chanting and verbal cues while others practice silence and relaxation.

Yoga Sandbags: Why Are They Used?
Yoga sandbags can be used in any type of yoga as a way of integrating additional weight into your regimen for faster results. Yoga sandbags add weight for increased stretch when placed between a person�s thighs, especially during the Virasana or BAddhakonasana poses. The sandbag increases a person�s awareness of a certain part of their body when placed on the body part. An example would be placing the sandbag on the hip during Padangusthasana to bring awareness to the pelvis and to keep hips flat and level or on the stomach during Pranayama in order to remind the person to breathe properly.When used as an upper body weight, the yoga sandbag is placed behind the back to stretch the shoulders, chest and arms while adding strength.